The 24 Solar Terms微课

Hello everyone! I'm Meng Churan. Today, I'd like to introduce to you the topic of "Telling Chinese Culture in English: The 24 Solar Terms".

Today’s lesson will be divided into 4 parts.

Before we dive in, I’d like to ask do you still remember the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics? And I will play the video to help you recall the stunning countdown during the opening ceremony that amazed the world.

Compared to the conventional Olympic countdown from 10 to 0, did you notice anything different about the Beijing Winter Olympics? That's right, it utilized the 24 Solar Terms for the countdown, and the commencement of the Winter Olympics happened to coincide with the Beginning of Spring, perfectly exemplifying the romantic charm of Chinese culture.

Today, let's delve deeper into the 24 Solar Terms of China.

Around 2000 years ago, ancient Chinese divided the sun's annual circular motion into 24 equal segments. each segment was called a solar term which represented a unique period of a year. the 24 solar terms became the important kind of calendar in ancient China.

Many of you have noticed that there were Chinese and English translations of the Solar Terms during the Olympic’s countdown.

Please follow my lead and let's explore together the wisdom of ancient Chinese people.

Spring

Beginning of Spring. It is the first of the twenty four solar terms. After the beginning of spring, everything recovers and becomes vibrant.

Rain Water. At this time, the spring breeze blows all over, the ice and snow melt, the air is moist, and the rain increases, so it is called rain. .

Waking of Insects : This solar term indicates that after the "Beginning of Spring", the weather turns warmer, and spring thunder begins to sound. Various hibernating animals that hibernate in the soil will wake up and begin to move and hatch.

Spring Equinox. The days and nights in the northern and southern hemispheres are equal. After this day, the direct sunlight position will move northward.

Pure brightness. At this time, the climate is cool and warm, with grass and trees beginning to sprout, and everything begins to grow.

Grain Rain. "Rain produces grains. As rain nourishes the earth and the grains grow.". As the saying goes, "Before and after the grain rain, plant melons and beans.".

Summer

Beginning of Summer. It is the beginning of summer, and as it enters summer, everything flourishes.

Grain Buds. Starting from Grain Buds summer crops such as barley and winter wheat have already borne fruit and full grains, but they have not yet matured.

Grain in ear. This is the best time to plant grain crops with awns.Before and after Grain in ear, rainfall increased and temperatures increased, leading to the continuous rainy plum rain season. It was also called "moldy rain".

Summer Solstice. This day is the longest day and shortest night in the Northern Hemisphere. After the summer solstice, the sun gradually moves southward.

Minor Heat. The weather is already very hot, but it is not yet at its hottest time, so it is called Lesser Heat.

Major heat. Major heat is the hottest solar term of the year. This solar term has a lot of rain.

Autumn

Beginning of Autumn. From this day on, autumn begins, with a clear sky, bright moon, and clear wind. After that, the temperature gradually decreased from the hottest.

End of Heat. By this time, the summer heat is about to dissipate. It is a turning point in temperature decline. It is a symbol of the cooling of the climate, indicating the end of the summer.

White Dew. White Dew has the obvious characteristics of rapid temperature drop, continuous rain start, and sudden decrease in sunlight.

Autumn Equinox. The days and nights in the northern and southern hemispheres are equal. After this day, the direct sunlight position will move southward.

Cold Dew. By the time of the cold dew in the mid autumn, it is already" dewy and cold, and will condense "into frost.".

Frost’s Descent. The term "frost falling" implies that the weather is getting colder and frost begins to fall.

Winter

Beginning of Winter. On the day of the beginning of winter, when winter begins, the water begins to ice, and the ground begins to freeze."

Minor snow. Minor snow indicates the starting time and extent of snowfall. It has taken on a scene of early winter.

Major snow. “Major snow" indicates that it is now beginning to snow heavily.

Winter solstice. It is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. After the winter solstice, the direct sunlight zone gradually moves northward.

Minor cold. It marks the beginning of the coldest period in China.

Major cold. The Great Cold, marks the coldest period of the year in the lunar calendar. It signifies the arrival of extreme winter weather, characterized by bitter cold and icy conditions.

Let’s come to the significance of the 24 solar terms.

Originally，they were worked out mainly for farming. Now, This cognitive system of time has been given the title of the fifth great invention of China for thousands of years on December 1, 2016 the solar terms were listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.

The 24 Solar Terms embody China's ancient wisdom about nature and agriculture, reflecting a rich cultural heritage. Hopefully after this lesson, everyone will be able to speak confidently about China's 24 Solar Terms.